Doctors, scientists express concerns on e-cigarette bill

Madison — Even as the nation's second-largest city is moving to ban electronic cigarettes where tobacco smoking is prohibited, Wisconsin lawmakers are considering doing just the opposite.

A Republican-sponsored bill to clarify that using e-cigarettes indoors is legal, despite a statewide ban on indoor smoking, drew opposition Wednesday from doctors, scientists and others who cited concerns over the product's safety.

"If this bill passes, Wisconsin's children with their young brains so sensitive to nicotine may be put at risk. Why would we do that?" said Dr. Michael Fiore, a University of Wisconsin professor who also founded the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention.

The science behind whether the vapors from the devices are toxic to bystanders hasn't caught up with the widespread use, and five states and dozens of cities — including the nation's three largest — have moved to treat the newly popular e-cigarettes nearly the same as conventional cigarettes. The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday voted to ban the use of electronic cigarettes in workplaces and public areas.

"It's sad that we have to introduce legislation to clarify that the smoking ban was not supposed to (affect) e-cigarettes," said Grothman, a Republican from West Bend.

Advocates point to studies that show e-cigarette vapors may be many times less harmful than conventional cigarette smoke as a reason to prevent additional regulations.

Conservative radio host Vicki McKenna puffed on an e-cigarette before and after speaking to the senators. She said she smoked up to one or two packs of Camel Lights a day for 23 years before switching to e-cigarettes, she said, and stopping smoking.

"I found out that over the course of a few days I was able to transfer my dependency of cigarettes to the use of an e-cigarette with substantial benefits to my health," McKenna said.

The debate in Wisconsin is largely the same as the one raging on the national stage, with scientists citing a lack of health studies and advocates citing the ability to wean smokers from cigarettes. What sets the state out is that the law would go against regulations even some Wisconsin colleges and municipalities have put in place.

"Why should we compare e-cigarettes to cigarettes when we should be comparing them to clean air?" said Murray Katcher, a Madison pediatrician.

Katcher said studies have shown the vapors can contain heavy metals and other toxicants. He joins heart, lung and other health organizations that oppose adding Grothman's changes to the state smoking laws.

Don Muehlbauer, owner of DuraSmoke, the largest e-liquid company in the country, said his products are safer than conventional cigarettes. He said the flavored liquid, which is heated by a coil in the devices and turned into a vapor, contains four ingredients: nicotine, flavoring, vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol.

Muehlbauer, a West Bend resident, said other states have moved to regulate e-cigarettes "probably for taxation purposes," and that he's awaiting the Food and Drug Administration to weigh in on the industry so he can have rules to follow.

But he told the committee he believes the products save the lives of about 9,000 Wisconsin smokers who may choose to switch to e-cigarettes.

The committee took no action on the bill. With the Legislature expected to wrap up its work for the year by early April, there is little time left for lawmakers to act on the proposal.